Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-06-11

YES hatchln' more deVlltry on on u.s.
growled the tramp, as he lay crouching
ike beast Of prey In the thicket. ~All the
SIN o the world is packed on on ter Us.
We do enough, God knows, without haVin'
It all packed OF onto u.s."
He did not speak loud enough to be
heard by the group in consultation
LIS about time, " said one.
Dye think it all ught?"
@Of course it is"
mind YOU, said another more cautious
speaker, there's not to be any one hurt
wouldn't for the world have drop Of
blood spilled"
--Otto, yer gittin' squeanishl"
Nov, YOU know when mentioned this
thing Bill, that that was the understand
lng-no one was to be hurt. 1 occupy
respectable position IN this community
and can not afford to do anything that
would compel me to leave. You and Net
ties viii neither be recognized by him.
You can do the work, bring the sWag to
me- and we viii 60 You have the masks
on your faces2"
@Yes."
@Now, don't 90 to making any blunders.
II my home wasn't about to be sold from
over my head, wouldn't think Of such a
thing; but I can't see my children"
whist, there comes some One!-
Its a horsemans tool"
SIts hel'
Get ready now. and be caFeful-remem-
Der y hat / said to you.
wonder what Their goin' ter dO?" the
tramp asked himself.
The sound of horses feet could now be
distinctly heard, and the concealed tramp
from his position became conscious that
two Of the ambushed men, for some pur-
pose, had crept TO the 70 adside, where
they were crouching like wild animals in
ambush.
@Td help that AZ Teller what's goin' ter
run inter trouble, " thought the tramp. @but
then I'd never be thanked fur it, an maybe
git six months in jail. Guess III jest let
en- fight it out
aStop!" called a voice In the darkness.
The horse came to a halt, snorted in
terror and started back. There was the
sound Of a scutiie. Some one had seized
the horse BY the rein
@Let gO!"
"Git down."
take thatl"
"Bang!" went a pistol, the fash from the
shot showed three or four objects engaged
IN struggle. A horse was rearing and
plunging, while two dark forms were trying
to drag the rider from the saddle.
Another shot was fred by the brave
horseman, who was determined to defend
himself and property against the foot
pads. There was a cry Of pain and an
oath
EFF that's what ys want wen give ye
enough"
Two or three quick blows followed, a
sharp cry. gushing sob, and the man fell
to the ground. He lay very quiet, and the
tramp, through the darkness, could only
see two dark forms bending over him.
When they rose one Of them carried a
heavy wallet, and the horseman still lay
upon the ground, The horse had broken
away, and, snoring with terror, ran down
/ the road.
Here's the swag, Otto, said one of
/ them, handing the large wallet to the third
man, who had remained concealed.
"But did you hurt him2"
| Eve had t."
! Great heaven! you didn't"
"Yes, we did, Otto, he's dead; it was his
life or ours. and Bill done it, though We re
all guilty alike"
Bill, Bill" almost screamed the man
called Otto, why, in Gods name, did you
do it, when told you not tor"
Quit; stop a shakin' me, said Bill. He
| shot me IN the shoulder, and knitted
him"
"Ohl what shall We dor" groaned Otto.
/ "Let us run home at once before We are
/ found at this internal spot"
I've dropped the knife"
"Was it your Own-may be it viii be
recognized?"
@No; it's one found yesterday"
"Then let the owner of it prove himself
| innocent. For heavens sake let US CO.
| The three men hurried away, and the
I tramp, who was now Interested In the
! tragedy, crept from his place Of conceal
ment, and for a moment gazed on the
| CHASTITY body, which lay stark and cold on
/ the ground, the smoOth-shayed face Of the
murdered man gazing up into the dark
/ sky, and then followed carefully after the
retreating footpads.
/ Long Olivia and her mother awaited the
return Of the husband and father. At mid
/ night he had not come, and, unable longer
/ to remain in ignorance of the cause Of his
! strange absence, they reused the hired man
/ and sent him out TO see If he could learn
/ what was OBTAINING Mr.. ShOrtridgs.
/ He went, and-reader, let us draw q veil
over the scene Of horror that followed.
The whole country was wild over the af-
| fair. That a cold-blOoded murder and
| highway robbery should be perpetrated in
this quiet and hitherto peaceful neighbOr-
| hood was an astOnishment and horror 70
| everybody. For days the widest excite
/ ment that had ever been known prevailed
Who had done the awful deed2
| sit was the tramp" some one suggested,
/ and the idea spread like Wild-hre. Every
/ body knew it must be the savage-looking
| tramp who had been in the neighborhood
It was two or three days after her faith
er's funeral when this was first suggested
to Olivia.
at was the very tramp you fed, Olivia,
| said Mrs. ShOrtridge. To think that tht
man whom you had fed should have
/ stabbed your father"
At don't believe it, mother" said Olivia
Il don't believe that that man had anything
to do with it.
The sheriff. and the shrewd deteCtiV,
who had come all the way from Chicago e
work up the case, came to Cedar Crest and
Ir1nna1rT fT1faHa-,gr4faH fnHTvfa 10
tramp. She told him over and over again
every word that had been said by ethel
himself or her. There had not been a sin
gle Werd uttered by herself or the tramp
in regard to her father.
The detective went away to make g
thorough examination Of the ground. He
was absent day or two, and again called
on Olivia.
Did you speak with any one else save
members Of your own family on that even
ingl" the detective asked.
"No, sir"
''Think wen before you answer. Was
any one else here2"
@No-yes, there was-Harry Blake wal
coming by. He stopped at the gate, and
talked a moment with him."
"Oh, yes; this Harry Blake is the younl
man whom have met her frequently -
Yes, sir" she answered, blushing pro.
fusely.
"Ha has been very active in trying t,
bring the murder Of your father TO light?
Yes, sir" blushing still more deeply.
"What did he talk about?"
II do not remember-the tramp was on
thing"
"Did you talk about your father?"
ayes, sir. I told him that father wa
coming home from the village, where b.
had been to get the money from Mr.. LON
on his mortgage"
"Wel, young lady, it is perhaps rathe
a disagreeable announcement to make, bu
that young gentleman is the man who muir